


In Other Nests....

by bluetoast



Series: Birds of a Feather [77]
Category: Supernatural, Supernatural Novels - Various
Genre: Alternate Reality, Deaf Dean Winchester, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Reality Bending, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-15 03:36:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13604718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluetoast/pseuds/bluetoast
Summary: There's many unsettling things in this reality for Heather. Knowing about it was one thing, actually seeing it was another.Written for HC Bingo - Corporal Punishment





	In Other Nests....

Some days, it's hard not be jealous. Even when you sit down and count your blessings, try and be content and say thanks for what you have, it's little daily things which can trigger the wretched, roiling feeling in your stomach until you want to scream, lash out, or weep at the sheer unfairness of it all. So you go back, start counting the blessings again, look at what you have, remember what it cost. And swear the pain is worth it. 

The world went on.

Right now, the world at large seems to be issuing an extremely big fuck you to Heather Kittridge.

It's clear when she looks at Liesel and Liam, she sees what she will never have. The security or at least the assurance their parents cared about each other, loved one another – there was something there. Even Junta had it, as strange as it was. Not from every Dean Winchester, but he had it from one. One was enough. It was more than she had. She was the product of six shots, four beers and a slow dance. The powers-that-be getting themselves insurance in the event of the Michael Sword.

When she doesn't end up dead when the demons raised famine. 

The coffee tastes wrong; even though it's the exact same brand and blend in her pantry back in her reality in Memphis. It could be the water, it could be a slight variation in the location of the factory where it was put together. She can't explain what it is, because it's hard to pinpoint what exactly is wrong. 

Across the table, Liesel keeps staring at her; with those intense blue eyes she couldn't quite figure out; then again, here she is with equally different blue eyes and the red hair which makes her stick out in any crowd. She thinks again of the drawings on her wall back home; red hair no one else has. The way Sara's the only blonde. 

Taking another sip of the wrong tasting coffee makes her flinch. It's been over ten years since she was in the same house as Dean Winchester – and even if this isn't the Dean she knows, it's still Dean. Dean who used to grin and jokingly call her Gosayln. The one she faces now, Dean Coulter, is as different from the one she knows as she is from Liesel. Little more gray, little less sad, and he couldn't hear a single thing she said.

“May I see your rings?” Liesel signs as she speaks, clearly trying to break the tension in the room. “Please?” 

“I guess.” She'd put the rings on out of habit. One on each index finger – Mitch and Nate both used to give her a hard time about tapping them against the steering wheel of her car. They probably still would, if they knew she still did it. It's a habit she never catches herself starting; but has brought herself to stop numerous times. She tugged them off and set them down on the highly polished kitchen table. 

The class ring on Liesel's on left hand flashes lavender, too light to be amethyst; her birthday is in June. The younger woman takes hers, setting the larger one aside to examine the other. Similar in style to the girl's own. Weren't nearly all class rings made by the same manufacturer? “Roosevelt High School.” She gives her a look. “Franklin or Teddy?”

“Teddy.” She folded her arms, smiling absently. “Home of the Rough Riders.” 

“Humans are funny.” Liam says more to his hot chocolate than to anyone. 

“He's never been to high school.” Heather clarified, almost laughing at the idea. Ever book she'd ever read with angels or half angels attending high school were borderline hysterical or clearly bad Twilight knock-offs. “Quite honestly, I don't think he could have gotten through without smiting someone.” 

Dean let out a rather odd noise which she guesses is meant to be a laugh and he picks up the other ring, frowning as he turns it to read the words around the stone, then his eyes widen as Liesel spoke again.

“Basketball, choir... and is this speech?” She indicated the tiny podium on one side.

She took another sip of coffee before answering. “Yes. My friend and I did duets.” She grimaced. “Stupid Rapid City kids always taking first in State.” 

“Second's still awesome.” She turned the ring on its side. “What's the G stand for?” 

“Grace.” Heather took another sip of coffee. “I'm named after a flower and a song, because my parents were nice enough not to saddle me with Esther Agnes, after my grandmothers.” 

She grinned. “I'm named after a character in my mom's favorite movie.” She took another look at the ring. “And your birthday is in September.” 

“Of course it is. Everyone knows that.” Liam interjected, “it's why she's the autumn...”

Heather cut him off with a kick. “Not here.” 

“What are you talking about?” Liesel frowned, then looked over at her dad, who was still turning Heather's ring over in his hands like he couldn't believe it was real. She set a hand on his arm and he looked at her. “Dad?”

“This is a National Championship ring.” He looked from his daughter over to Heather, then held it out towards her, his expression was almost proud. “Division one basketball...” His smile widened. Different Dean he might be, but it was the same face, same expressions – the smile she'd wanted to see for years, and never had. “Undefeated.” 

Heather felt her cheeks go pink. “Yes, yes it is.” She managed a smile. “It wasn't my goal. I was simply sick of hearing about what an amazing team U Conn was.” She took a drink of coffee. “Although it might not have been completely fair, seeing how Kansas University is cursed.”

Dean let out another one of those odd-sounding laughs. “Someone cursed their women's basketball team?”

She looked more at the ceiling than at him. “More like every team.”

“Your mother must be exceptionally angry with your father, Heather Kittridge.” A stoic, calm voice said from behind her and she and Liam both turned in their chairs, and she saw her brother's face go white.

“Hi, Castiel. Didn't know you were here.” Heather frowned; he too was different from the Castiel she had known; not so much as Dean, but at the same time... “You're in decidedly better condition than the last one of you I saw.”

“He's not from this reality either.” Liam whispered. “What's wrong with him?” 

Heather turned back around, taking her coffee cup in her hands. “If that's your biggest question, Liam, you need to catch up.” 

“Dean.” Castiel stated and the man rose and the two of them walked out of the kitchen, leaving the three of them alone.

Collecting her rings and putting them back on, Heather glanced over at Liesel, who she could tell had just put two and two together in regards to Liam. “Don't try and figure out the schematics. You'll get a headache and you might get sick too.” 

“Weird.” She took a drink from her mug. “Am I the youngest? I know I look it, but am I really the youngest of the three of us?”

“No, Liam is.” she answered her sister before he could. “He just looks the oldest because of the way he ages.” 

“Gotcha.” She frowned. “So who's your mom, Heather?” 

“Melpomene. More commonly known as the Greek muse of tragedy.” she snickered. “Find her the demon who got _Twilight_ green-lighted, and you can have a favor granted, including the cursing of a sports team.”

Liesel's frowned deepened. “What's _Twilight_?” 

Heather took a drink of coffee, grinning. “Nothing you want to know about.” 

“Agreed.” Their brother made an odd noise before picking up his mug. “Makes me wish there was such a thing as brain bleach.” 

“Sounds terrible.” Their sister rubbed at her nose. “Though I'm inclined to agree with you on the bleach part.” She took a drink from her mug. “Out of curiosity, do either of you come from a reality with a decent _Fantastic Four_ movie?” 

“I don't think such a thing exists.” Liam snorted. “I think it's because the story, in principle, is so simple that it's hard for Hollywood to understand.” 

“I don't suppose you can explain all the strange things going on this morning, can you Liesel?” A new voice spoke up and Heather had bite her lip to keep her mouth from falling over as Jessica Moore walked into the kitchen. She looked from her to Liam, who appeared as stunned as Heather felt. “Is something wrong.” 

Heather nudged her brother again. “Since he's not here Liam, we need to find the time to kick the ever loving crap out of Sam Winchester on behalf of our respective Uncle Sammys.” 

Jessica made a face. “Would you throw in a punch or two for me, please?”

“Gladly.” Liam answered as Dean and Castiel came back into the room, the former wearing a stunned expression, going over to Jess and hugging her. “Are you sure we can't do that first?”

“Nope. Have to be responsible and do what we came to do first.” She took a drink of coffee. “We have a lot of work to do.”


End file.
